Broadcasting stations have broadcasted their programs so far in a manner as shown in FIG. 11. Specifically, a broadcasting station 3000 obtains program contents 1100 (step (2)) by purchasing a right to use the program contents 1100 from a contents holder 1000 who holds the program contents 1100 (step (1)). The contents holder 1000 is an enterprise such as a program producing company who holds contents data of programs. The broadcasting station 3000 sells an advertisement frame set for the program in which the program contents 1100 are broadcasted, to an advertiser 2000 (step (3)) to obtain advertisement contents 2100 (step(4)). The broadcasting station 3000 mixes the program contents 1100 and advertisement contents 2100. For example, program contents 1100 for 50 minutes and advertisement contents for 10 minutes in total are mixed to produce a program package to be broadcasted for one hour (step (5)), and the program contents 1100 and advertisement contents 2100 are broadcasted from an antenna 3100 (step (6)). For example, techniques for mixing and broadcast or distribution are disclosed in WO94/14280 and WO95/15657 publications. Then, the program contents 1100 and advertisement contents 2100 are received at a viewer's house 4000 through an antenna 4100 and are reproduced by a digital broadcasting receiver 4200. An advertisement frame may be sold to an advertising agent instead of an advertiser 2000. As described with reference to FIG. 11, man power has been required at a broadcasting station to acquire program contents and to sell advertisement frames.
There is a trend toward multi-channel broadcasting as well as digitalization. However, since not so much increase is expected in the amount of program contents and advertisement, broadcasting stations may not be able to obtain a required amount of program contents and advertisement if the current situation continues.